Cullman County man arrested for Arab bank robbery

ARAB -- A Joppa area man was arrested by Arab police today in the robbery of a bank branch in Arab.

William Jackson Dooley, 33, of Cullman County Road 1595, Grandiflora Road, Baileyton, was charged with second-degree robbery second degree and transferred to the Marshall County Jail. He was booked under a $30,000 bond.

On July 12, a man walked into the Wells Fargo branch at 1001 North Brindlee Mountain Parkway wearing a mask and gloves demanding money. He left with an undisclosed amount of cash in a car with an accomplice.

Police Sgt. Scotty Watson said none of the stolen cash has been recovered. Dooley was arrested at his mother's residence Wednesday morning without incident; he maintained his innocence.

Police Chief Mike Blackwood said the charges against Dooley stem from an attempted robbery at a Scant City bank on Aug. 31. A man wearing a bandana over his face while carrying a black bag attempted to enter the bank, which happened to be locked while all but one employee was at lunch.

When police came to investigate, a car matching the description of the one the suspect left in drove by. Police stopped the car and Dooley was among those in the car who were questioned.

"Dooley matched the description of the suspect in the Wells Fargo robbery from the beginning, but witnesses were able to identify him after he was brought in for questioning after the Scant City incident," he said.